Only Hope
by PineappleIce
Summary: Dracula takes pity on despairing bride Crina and takes her back to his castle. It should be a straightforward love story, but the vampire cannot feel, Crina is in love with a dead man and the townsfolk are going to destroy them. DISCONTINUED
1. Prolouge I

"Crina! Come away from the window, child." Mrs Arany spoke in her thick accent from the door of her daughter's bedroom, sounding firm and rushed. Some of her grey hair had escaped the neat bun she wore, and it was hanging over sharp blue eyes which glared at Crina.

Crina Arany turned to her mother, her face sorrowful. There was little resemblance between the pair of them. Whilst Mrs Arany was short, plump, with light features and hair that had once fallen in golden curls, Crina was tall and willowy, dark and dramatic-looking, with dark hair that was poker straight.

"Still in your night-things at this hour, as well," Mrs Arany scolded. "Crina! You must start acting like a woman. How will Cristian Farkas feel if his wife is a lazy child?"

Crina stuck her chin out definately, her dark eyes flashing. "I care little how Mister Farkas feels. I don't want to marry him, I want to marry for love, Mother!"

Mrs Arany looked equally as mad as her daughter. "Crina, stop acting like a child! Your father is dead. Our family needs the money we are getting from your marriage! I have Danut and Elena to raise, would you see them starve?"

"You know I would not." Crina sighed, turning her sad face back to the window, looking out at the snow-covered grounds of their Transylvania mansion with tears welling up in her eyes. She started at the feel of her mother's hand on her shoulder, surprisingly soft and caring.

"Crina... I would have had you marry your Ioan, you know."

Crina felt a tear escape down her dark smooth cheek as she thought of Ioan's long black hair and sparkling brown eyes, his strong arms that would lift her up in the air and spin her around as she laughed. And then he would put her down on the ground and she would shiver against the cold wind, causing him to draw her into his embrace and kiss her softly...

"I love him still," Crina whispered. "I can never love another."

Mrs Arany had little to say in response to this. She sighed and adjusted her weight, tugging on the white apron she wore over her blue dress. "Cheer up, Crina. I have good news."

Crina gasped. Was it possible...? It could not be... he had been missing six months... "Ioan," she whispered.

Mrs Arany did not hear her. Instead she smiled broadly. "Cristian Farkas is going to visit today. He wants to meet you before tomorrow, Crina."

Whatever Mrs Arany had expected, it was not for Crina to wring her hands in despair and storm towards the door. Crina breathed heavily as she hurtled down the hall towards the bathroom, tears on her face. She would hate Cristian Farkas, he would be utterly horrible, not at all handsome and generally nothing like her beloved Ioan.

**To be continued.**


	2. Prolouge II

Against Crina's wishes, her mother spent three hours fastening her into a tight corset and beautiful red dress, and making her up to look stunning. Crina fought back her tears as she sat before her mirror, gazing into her own heavily-outlined eyes with despair.

When her mother disappeared downstairs to make dinner, Crina walked over to the window once again. She couldn't remember ever feeling so empty. Since she was young, she had looked forward to marriage. When she had fallen for Ioan she had longed for it. Now, there was no Ioan, and only the great unknown that was Cristian Farkas.

Crina brushed her veil of shiny hair out of her eyes slowly, gazing down as a dark figure on a horse rode into the grounds. This had to be Cristian. It was hard to believe that the man down there, the man she couldn't make out, who seemed so distant and unfamiliar, would be the man she spent the rest of her life with.

She heard the distant noise of the door opening downstairs, and the low murmur of voices. Her heartrate quickened.

There was a knock at her bedroom door, and a small curly blonde head peeked around it. Elena's bright blue eyes twinkled at her elder sister. "Crina, Mama sent me up to tell you that Mister Farkas is here."

Crina swallowed, nervous. "Alright, I'm coming, Elena." She crossed over and took the tiny girl's soft white hand in her own long dark one and they made their way out into the hall. Her heart was thundering in her chest. They came to stand at the top of the staircase, and Crina froze.

Her mother and Elena's twin brother, Danut, were standing in the hallway below, talking with a tall, muscular man. He had creamy skin, golden brown hair clipped neatly back, pleasant green eyes and a nice smile. He was dressed smartly in black. Crina sighed. Whether she liked it or not, Cristian Farkas was very good-looking. Still, he was still horrible.

Mrs Arany smiled proudly. "Here she is. Cristian, this is my daughter, Crina."

Crina felt her fingers tighten around Elena's as he looked up at her, smiling still, revealing white teeth. "Miss Crina! I must say, it is a pleasure to finally see you. You are exceptionally beautiful."

Crina tried to tell herself his tone was oily, but she felt herself blush. Words did not form in her mouth and she settled for a grim smile.

"Well, don't just stand up there!" he chuckled. "I would like to properly meet you, if you don't mind."

Crina wanted to say she did mind, but she remembered herself just in time. Instead she released her little sister and walked as steadily as she could down the stairs, gripping the banister tightly, praying she wouldn't trip over her skirt and fall at Cristian's feet. Luckily, she reached the bottom lightly.

Cristian stepped forward and bowed politely, then raised Crina's hand to his lips and pressed a gentle kiss to it. His lips were soft and warm. Crina shook her head slightly to rid it of this thought.

"You're very quiet, Miss Crina," he said softly, his green eyes soft and teasing. "Tell me, how old are you?"

Crina swallowed again and concentrated on speaking smoothly as Elena ran down to Danut. "I'm nineteen, Mister Farkas, and yourself?"

"Almost twenty-five," he replied, politely. He turned to Mrs Arany. "Would it be appropriate for myself and your lovely daughter to walk around the grounds before dinner, Mrs Arany?"

She positively glowed as she answered happily, "Of course, Mister Farkas."

Cristian beamed at her, then took Crina's arm without asking. They walked out of the doors and into the frosty grounds in silence, Crina finding that it was snowing slowly, beautifully. Against her will, she felt a smile tugging her lips. Cristian stopped suddenly a little way away from the house.

"It's nice to see a genuine smile on your face, Crina," he said softly. "I know this probably isn't what you want."

Crina's smile faded. "You're right, it isn't." She heard her voice, cold and cruel, and regretted it.

"Crina, Crina, please don't hate me for it. Please. I want you to grow to love me... I can tell I'll grow to love you." Cristian looked uncertain, anxious, and Crina felt a pang of pity for him. She took his hand shakily.

"I probably shouldn't tell you this," she said quietly. "My mother would hate me for it, because you may not want to marry me after it."

Cristian shook his head, gingerly reaching out to toy with a strand of her dark hair. "Nothing you could say could change my mind about that, Crina. I knew from the moment I saw you..."

"Well... Cristian, I will never love you. And it isn't because of you, or even because of me." She paused, watching him narrow his green eyes. "There was... there was somebody else, somebody I loved dearly, but he disappeared six months ago hunting werewolves in the woods." She choked and hung her head to hide her sad eyes.

"Ioan?" Cristian asked. "The teenager, the one with the black hair?"

Crina stiffled a sob. "Yes."

Cristian sighed awkwardly. "Crina..." He stopped hopelessly and gently raised her chin, gazing deeply into her eyes. "Crina, you will grow to love me. Ioan is dead."

"I will never love anyone but Ioan!" Crina found herself shouting, screaming the words.

"Crina..." Cristian reached out to take her shoulders, but she shook him off angrily.

She ran to the gate, hair whipping wildly about her dark face, which was contorted in fury. She paused there to scream, "I will never love you! I will never marry you! I _hate_ you!"

And then she ran.

**To be continued.**

_A/N: These first two chapters are only a basic introduction. The rest of the chapters will be longer and more detailed. Thank you for the reviews!_


	3. Escape

The woods where Ioan had disappeared were thick and dangerous. The locals said werewolves lived in the deep trees, and most would not enter. But Crina was unafraid to walk in, explore the vast unexplored miles, sit and think about Ioan and herself. She had never seen a werewolf; sometimes, she almost wished she would. Sometimes death would be preferable to this half-life. Now was one of those times.

She was sitting on the wide trunk of a fallen tree, her shoulders hunched and shaking as she sobbed. The dress was low on her shoulders and her arms were bare; she was going to freeze to death out here. Her hair was a shiny brown veil, flecked with the falling snow, hanging across her face, which was pink with the cold.

The clearing she was sitting in was large, the ground frosty and crisp. The trees were tall, narrow, almost grey. No leaves adorned the long, dead branches. There was a strange, light mist about the place, and the wind blowing through the branches created an unreal whispering.

Ioan had been unafraid of this place too. When Crina had met him, at the tender age of fourteen, they had made frequent visits into the quiet of the woods, enjoying their close, understanding friendship. Crina remembered their first kiss, here in this very clearing, on the day of her sixteenth birthday. They had made promises of love, promises to be together always...

"You broke your promise, Ioan," Crina whispered, her lips cold and slow. She gave a bitter cry. "Ioan!"

A twig snapped across the clearing. Crina looked up, startled, heart racing, and found herself staring at a tall, slender man. He had long, ebony hair swept back from a strikingly pale face. The eyes fixed onto her own were a dark, dangerous blue, almost black. A small smile twisted the attractive face.

"Good day, Miss." He spoke in a soft, quiet voice, yet it carried clearly across from where he was standing to Crina, who shuddered against her will.

She watched him adjust the thick black cloak he wore over black clothes and narrowed her dark eyes. "G-good day, Sir. How... how long were you watching me?" She swallowed, nervous.

"Long enough," he replied softly, reaching up to wipe some of the fallen snow from his silky black hair with a gloved hand. He stepped forward, walking calmly towards Crina, who froze in terror. She realised how helpless she was, and how scared she was of this man. He chuckled, and pulled off his cloak as he reached her, wrapping it tenderly around her shoulders.

"I... I..." she stammered, huddling into the warmth, staring up at him. She shook her head, remembering her manners. This man had just saved her life. "Thank you, kind Sir. What name do I call you?"

He paused a moment, then smiled gently. "You can call me Vlad, Miss."

"Vlad? I'm afraid it wouldn't be appropriate," Crina replied, biting her lip a little.

He hesitated, then pushed a loose strand of black hair behind his ear. "Trust me, Miss, it is better for you that I do not tell you my full name. Besides, you will probably never see me again." He smiled at her confused expression and sat down beside her. "What do I call you?"

"Crina." She paused. "Since you do not wish to share your full name, perhaps it would be wise for me not to share mine?"

But he wasn't listening. A strange, sorrowful expression had passed over his handsome features. "Crina..." he muttered, his eyes empty orbs.

"Yes, Crina," she repeated, nodding. "Crina Arany."

He shook himself out of his trance, and reached out for her hand, raising it to his lips and kissing it. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Miss Crina. Now... would you like to tell me why such a beautiful young lady is out in this cold, dangerous woods, crying?"

Crina sniffed. It didn't seem right that she should open up to a complete stranger like this, but she had never seen him before, and he had said it was unlikely that she would see him again. Besides, she felt trust for him and the kindness he had shown her. "I am to be married to a man I do not love for money. And... and the man I d-do love, Ioan, is d-dead..." She broke off as a fresh wave of sadness overcame her.

To her great surprise, he swept her into his arms and held her comfortingly. She sobbed into his chest as he stroked her soft hair gently. "Come, come, child, it will be alright. Do not cry so..." His soft whisper was so relaxing it could have lulled her to sleep, and she felt her crying stop.

She looked up at him, reluctant to leave his caring arms. "Vlad... what shall I do? It is all hopeless... my heart is broken."

"When are you due to be married?" Vlad asked, his blue eyes fixed on her face, holding an intensity she had never seen before.

"Tomorrow," she said desperately.

Vlad smiled reassuringly. "Do not fret, Miss Crina. You shall go home, make merry, sleep well. Tomorrow you shall prepare to marry. But everything will be alright... I promise."

Crina couldn't explain why, even to herself, but she believed that somehow Vlad could make everything alright. Slowly, she nodded. "Yes. Vlad... however can I thank you?"

"Miss Crina..." he began softly, then shook his head. He brushed her cheek carefully with his hand. "Would it be too much to ask for... a kiss?"

Numb, heart beating like a drum, she shook her head and closed her eyes. Vlad's lips, soft as butter and surprisingly cool, touched her own lightly. Slowly, he deepened the kiss, holding her tightly. She was tingling, floating... his tongue slipped expertly over her own. She was disappointed when he pulled back.

"Go home, Miss Crina," he whispered.

She opened her eyes, shivering, a sudden wind whipping her hair around her face.

Vlad was gone.

**To be continued.**


	4. Return To Cristian

Crina pushed the lounge door open gingerly, looking shyly into the room. She found Cristian Farkas sitting by the small fire sadly, his green eyes fixed on the flames. Mrs Arany was sitting on the sofa, holding her twins tenderly, a tear rolling down her aging face. Elena was asleep, Danut looking soon to follow.

"Excuse me." Crina spoke quietly, causing Mrs Arany and Cristian to look at her. Mrs Arany looked furious, Cristian only hurt. Crina shifted her weight. "I'm sorry for running off. This... this is hard for me. Can you forgive me, Cristian?"

That amazing smile lit up his face suddenly. He stood up politely. "Oh, Crina, of course I can," he said breathlessly, rushing over to her and taking her hands tenderly.

"Look at the state of you, Crina," Mrs Arany scolded, her eyes flashing dangerously. "_Where_ have you been? And wherever did you find that cloak?"

"Oh," Crina said, remembering her ruffled, snow-flecked hair and tear-stained cheeks. She ran a hand over the soft warmth of Vlad's cloak and it reminded her that there was hope, though from where she did not know. "I just went for a walk around Vaseria, and I met an old man who encouraged me to return."

"I am glad," Cristian beamed, squeezing her hands. He looked just like a small boy at Christmas, his eyes shining in excitement, bouncing on the balls of his feet. He turned to Mrs Arany. "Don't be too mad at her, Mrs Arany. I am just glad she returned."

Mrs Arany merely tutted and stroked Danut's blonde curls, but Crina could see she was pleased that Cristian was so awed by her. Cristian chuckled.

"How about that walk now?" he asked Crina. "Except we'll stay inside, in case you deem it necessary to flee from me again." He smiled teasingly.

Crina felt a pang of guilt. There really was nothing wrong with Cristian, and yet she was still sure their wedding would never happen. "If you like, Cristian," she said softly, with her best polite smile.

Cristian took her arm once more, and they left the lounge, walking slowly across the hallway to the stairs. Cristian sat down on a step and patted it. Crina sat beside him, looking at the floor. She was scared of getting too close to Cristian. It worried her how much she liked him.

"Oh, Crina!" he exclaimed suddenly, in a quiet affectionate rush. She gasped as his arms were suddenly around her, in a tight, tender embrace. He let go quickly. "I'm sorry," he said, his eyes teary, "but when it looked like you were never coming back..."

She looked at him, taking in his caring expression. "Cristian... I mean... don't get too attached to me... I'm not so special..."

"Not so special?" he said, and she was horrified to hear the emotion in his voice. "Crina, words cannot describe how special you are. I've only known you a few hours but I know I want to be with you the rest of my life."

She hesitated, wondering what to say next. Her pause was her downfall, however, for in that moment Cristian leaned across and stole a quick, chaste kiss. She felt a little angry, and his cheeks coloured as he pulled back.

"I apologise," he said quickly. "I can't help myself, Miss Crina."

She closed her eyes, reminding herself she needed to stay on his good side for now. Hating herself, she responded, "It's alright, Cristian, I really do not mind."

"I'm glad," he said. "We have many years of kisses ahead of us."

She repressed a shudder and forced a small smile. "Indeed, Cristian, indeed." She squeezed his fingers. "I cannot wait until tomorrow."

One of his hands, soft and smooth, brushed her warm cheek slowly as he stared into her deep dark eyes affectionately. "I am glad, my beautiful one." He chuckled. "I am a lucky man, Miss Crina."

Crina decided she had had enough of spending time with Cristian. She faked a yawn. "The hour grows late."

"It does indeed," Cristian sighed, smiling warmly. "Perhaps you should get yourself off to bed? I would not want you to feel exhausted on our wedding day, beautiful one." His smile widened. "It will be hard for me to let you go, even for a few hours whilst you sleep, but I shall try my hardest."

She forced a coy smile and rose elegantly. Cristian stood too and took her arm. "Would you like to walk me to my room, Cristian?" she asked politely, trying to look alluring.

"I would be delighted," came the smooth, soft reply. They walked slowly, in silence, up the stairs, Cristian glancing at Crina and Crina looking back at him with a little smile. It didn't take long to reach Crina's door, and Cristian stood before her, holding her hands.

"I must bid you goodnight," Crina said, hesitating before pecking his cheek hastily. She turned to enter her room, but he caught her and shook his head.

"Please, Crina," he said quietly, "allow me one kiss before you leave me." She closed her eyes as he kissed her hard. She couldn't help comparing it to Vlad's kiss... the excited way she had felt in Vlad's arms was not repeated in Cristian's. She wondered if she would get to kiss Vlad again.

Nodding as they drew apart, Crina quickly entered her room, closing the door behind her. The room was dark, illuminated only by the moonlight spilling in through the window. She leaned back against the door, head spinning. It had been such a long, confusing day.

Sighing, she slipped off Vlad's cloak, the soft silky material slipping pleasantly through her fingers and she folded it and placed it on the end of her bed. Then, she crossed to the window, looking out at the stars in the inky blue sky with a desperate look in her serious eyes.

"Vlad," she whispered, shaking her head. "Please don't let me down. Please stop me marrying Cristian Farkas."

After this, she slowly undressed, pulling off the beautiful dress to reveal her flawless, dark skin. She took her nightdress from her drawer and pulled it on, the cool white cotton comforting against her flesh.

She slid into bed, feeling suddenly exhausted. Licking her lips, she reached underneath her pillow and pulled out a long gold chain with an engraved medallion on it. She held it up to her face, running her fingers over it, feeling tears well up in her eyes. This had belonged to Ioan.

Crying quietly, she put it around her neck and lay down flat, drifting off into an uneasy sleep.

**To be continued.**


	5. Morning Visitor

_The girl sighed and pulled her hat down low over her face, standing at the edge of the trees. Dressed in a black jersey and rough grey trousers, she looked as though she was a poor farmer. This suited her fine. She was from a fine, rich family, and did not appreciate the hassle this earned her from the townspeople._

_"Hey!" A loud, masculine voice called to her suddenly, breaking the tense silence. She gasped and turned around, seeing a tall, broad-shouldered youth facing her. He had wild, curly black hair that tumbled around a face that was bearing a scowl. "Hey, boy!" he called again. "Who are you?"_

_The girl supressed a chuckle. This boy thought she was male. Making her voice low she replied, "Who are you?"_

_"I asked first," he replied, unsmilingly. His brown eyes were narrowed. "There are things in those woods that are evil... how do I know you aren't one of them?"_

_"What do I care what you think?" she responded. "Who put you in charge? You're a mere boy. What do you think you are, a Knight of The Holy Order or something?"_

_"I'm a Hunter of Vaseria!" he snapped back. Suddenly, he reached into his belt and whipped out a pistol, pointing it at her. "Take your hat off, _now

_She wasn't about to argue with him, not when he was waving a pistol in her face. Sighing, she pulled her hat off, her long, waist-length brown hair tumbling out, revealing her face, which was already pretty. "Happy?" she shot at him._

_He gasped. "You're a girl!"_

_"Well observed," she said sourly._

_"I recognise you," he said, pushing back his hair ruggedly, lowering the pistol. "Aren't you the Arany girl, the daughter of the people who live in that big manor house?"_

_"Crina Arany, yes."_

_He laughed suddenly, and it made his face look brighter, nicer. He crossed over to her and shook her hand. "It's wonderful to meet you, Miss Crina. I'm Ioan. I haven't seen you round here before... then again few people are brave enough to come here."_

_"I was just walking," she said slowly, wondering why he was being so nice to her when she had snapped at him._

_"Ah. Alright then, Miss." He paused, soft eyes twinkling, then said suddenly, "Why are you dressed like that?"_

_She shrugged. "I don't like the attention I get. I like dressing like a boy, you can have more fun. Mother disapproves, of course, but then again I think she's worried nobody will marry me if I'm like this."_

_"I'd marry you." Ioan said the words suddenly, then went scarlet, though he grinned._

_She felt a funny feeling in her stomach, but smiled. "Thank you, but I'm only fourteen." She shook his hand again. "It was lovely to meet you, Ioan." She turned to leave._

_"Crina!" he said. "Where are you going?"_

_"Home."_

_He hesitated, then said in a rush, "Will you come and see me tomorrow?"_

_For a moment they looked at each other. Then Crina nodded. "Of course."_

_Ioan grinned. "Until tomorrow then..."_

¯¨´·-.¸¸,.-´¨·.¸¸.·´´¯··..·

Crina awoke suddenly, her heart racing. She was lying on her side, her long hair hanging over her face. One hand was on the medallion, the other on her stomach. She blinked, wondering what had woken her up. There was light in her room, a soft, pale, early morning light.

Yawning, she sat up, discovering what had awoken her.

Vlad's gloved hand covered her mouth as she opened it to scream in surprise at the sight of him sitting on her bed. She was shaking, staring at him. He looked strangely attractive, his white face impassive, his hair clipped back neatly. He was dressed from head to foot in black velvet, including matching boots. He waited until she had calmed down a little and removed his hand.

"I told you I would make everything alright," he said softly, his dark blue eyes fixed on her face.

"Vlad!" she gasped, staring at him. "But... how did you get in here...?"

He stood up and crossed to the window, looking out with an intense expression on his face. He stood like this for a few moments in silence, before speaking quietly. "Calm yourself, child, or you shall wake your family."

She stared at him. Something strange was going on. Forcing herself to breathe normally, she said firmly, "Vlad, tell me how you got in here."

He looked back at her. "You could be a little more grateful, Crina. I am helping you. Do not be so accusative." His thick accent was quite polite and charming, but carried a threatening undertone that chilled Crina a little. Vlad turned back to the window, reaching up to smooth his hair.

"But, Vlad..." she began, a little scared.

He turned back to her. "Crina, hush. I am taking you away from this place."

Her breath caught in her throat. Gazing at him with wide eyes, her beautiful expression startled, she breathed, "What? What do you mean, taking me away?"

"Taking you away," he repeated. "Taking you now, taking you with me. Making you free, allowing you to explore yourself without the shadow of your husband-to-be."

Crina felt anger rising. "You aren't answering me!" she snapped, jumping out of bed and going over to Vlad. "You aren't telling me anythi-"

She fell silent as suddenly he clasped his hand over her mouth again, holding her close in an iron grip. For the first time she felt really frightened. Vlad was scary, powerful, mysterious. And just _how_ had he gotten in? Her heart racing, she stood still, looking at him with frightened eyes.

"Be quiet, girl," he murmured. "Do you want to wake everybody?" He did not remove his hand, but loosened his grip a little, and then spoke. "I'm taking you to my castle. I think you will find it agreeable. I know you're scared, but I assure you this is all for your own good."

He removed his hand and moved her over to the bed, lifting his own cloak and wrapping it around her. She was shaking her head. "Please," she said quietly, "I've changed my m-mind... I don't want to go..."

Then his dark eyes were gazing into her own, deeply and alluringly. She felt consciousness slip from her grasp, and felt herself become unable to look away. As her eyes closed slowly and she fell into his arms, she muttered,

"But... how did you... get in...?"

**To be continued.**


	6. Anger Problem

The first thing Crina was aware of was extreme cold. Shivering inside Vlad's cloak, she opened her eyes, finding she was lying on a grand couch in a large, otherwise empty room. The walls and floors were stone, and a cold sharp wind blew in through the gaps in the large, smeared window and wooden door.

It only took a few seconds before panic set in. Where was she? Where was Vlad? Why had he brought her even though she had asked to be left?

She sat up, sick with the knowledge that this was her wedding day. She imagined her mother's anguish, Cristian's heartbreak, when they discovered she had been taken.

Crina felt tears well up in her eyes, but sleep washed over her once more, deep and warm.

¯¨´·-.¸¸,.-´¨·.¸¸.·´´¯··..·

_"Come into the woods with me," Ioan said._

_Crina glanced at him. "Are you insane?"_

_His laugh was warm, easy. "Of course. Please come in with me, Crina. I promise there's nothing in there that could possibly hurt you- except myself, of course." He winked._

_Snow clung to Crina's hair, which was scraped back into a bun. She was wearing a white shirt over black trousers, and large boots. She looked every bit the tomboy she liked to be, with wild eyes and loose hair blowing about her face. She shook her head at Ioan. "As if you could even come close to hurting me!"_

_Ioan reached out and tickled her neck fondly, watching her squirm and laugh for a moment. "See, completely helpless against me," he joked, the soft black material of his jersey brushing her neck. Then he was serious. "Crina, how long have we been friends now?"_

_Crina toyed with a loose strand of hair. "Almost two months."_

_"Exactly, two months. You're the closest friend I've ever had, Crina. I wouldn't even suggest taking you in the woods if I thought they were unsafe. Don't you trust me?" Ioan pouted in a way that was adorable._

_"Of course I trust you," Crina responded with a bright smile. She sighed. "Alright, Ioan, I'll come in the woods with you."_

¯¨´·-.¸¸,.-´¨·.¸¸.·´´¯··..·

It was the scent of tea that roused Crina from her dreaming. Opening her eyes slowly, reluctant to leave Ioan, she found herself in the same room as before, still lying in Vlad's cloak. She found herself staring at Vlad himself, standing in front of her, holding a cup of tea.

He was wearing the same clothes as the night before, though he looked a little more ruffled, his hair a little tousled, his expression a little weary. As Crina blinked up at him slowly, he said, "Would you care for some tea?"

Crina saw that it was now mid-afternoon. People were probably desperately searching for her now. She glared at Vlad. "Where am I?"

"Tea, Crina, tea," he said quietly, still offering the cup.

"Can't you just answer me?" she demanded furiously. "You did this last night too! Tell me where I am, tell me what's going on!"

Vlad closed his eyes briefly, then opened them. He looked slightly sad. Shaking his head, he spoke softly. "You're in my castle on the hillside overlooking Vaseria. Chances are you've seen it before."

She nodded, taking in this information slowly. She shook her head. She still didn't know exactly who this man was or why he had taken her when she had begged to be left. In fact, she wondered why he was 'helping' her at all. It was all a little frightening, and as she realised all this she felt goosebumps erupt on her skin. "Why did you take me when I asked to be left?" she asked carefully.

A look of discomfort passed over Vlad's features. He smoothed it out quickly. "I think you should have some tea."

Anger burst inside of Crina at his soft, unhelpful reply. Violently, she knocked the cup from his hands. It flew across the room, smashing on the wall loudly. Tea ran down the stone, and a small pile of china lay on the ground.

There was a tense silence. Vlad's expression remained impassive, but for some reason that was more threatening. Crina knew she had gone too far. For a long time, neither of them spoke. It was Vlad who broke the silence. "Never do that again," he said quietly.

"Why not?" Crina whispered, half-afraid, half-defiant.

To her surprise, Vlad smiled widely. He lunged at her suddenly, one hand on each of her shoulders; not a firm grip, but a threatening one. He looked at her, his face an inch or so from her own, and she thought briefly of their amazing kiss before returning to her present fear. "Why not?" he repeated loudly. "Trust me, you do not want to find out!"

She was shaking. "Please..." she begged. "Please let go of me..."

He lingered close to her only a moment longer, then stepped back, the eerie smile and anger gone from his face. "You'd think you'd be a little more grateful," he observed.

Tears formed in her dark eyes. "Please tell me why you took me," she pleaded.

"You are not ready to know that yet," he replied lightly, his eyes smouldering.

His expression was intense, his eyes burning into her own. It made her nervous and excited and afraid, but she fought against it. "Who are you?"

"I told you. Vlad." His answer was pointless, but before she had a chance to say anything more, he was beside her once more. She did not beg him to leave her this time, as he pressed his lips against her own full ones passionately. She sat up, wrapping her arms around his neck as they kissed, scared and yet unable to stop.

He pulled away first. She bit down on her lip as he drew back. "Vlad..." she began, but he cut across her.

"Since you refused my tea, I shall send some food up for you soon. I advise you rest, since you are mentally exhausted. Do not fret, child." As he headed for the door, his soulful eyes once again gave the despairing Crina comfort.

She let out a strangled cry as he left, and lay back down, closing her eyes.

**To be continued.**


	7. The First Bride

Crina's head was spinning. She still had no idea who Vlad really was, how he came to be in possession of the castle she had always thought was deserted. How had he gotten into her room? Why had he taken her? Why did he keep helping her? And why in God's name did he keep kissing her?

She closed her eyes. Why did she keep kissing him back?

She loved Ioan. She had vowed never to kiss anyone else.

Tears ran down her face as she thought of her love. How she missed him. How she wished he was here right now, to kiss her tears away, to stroke her hair, to whisper that he loved her.

The door opened with a loud creak, and Crina looked at it, startled, to see a young woman enter, carrying a tray of food. She smiled at Crina and stepped slowly into the room, tossing her long, toffee coloured curls of hair over her slender shoulder elegantly.

"Who are you?" Crina asked automatically.

The woman was incredibly skinny, wearing a tiny, translucent pink dress, revealing a lot of white skin. Sharp violet eyes were fixed in a pretty, yet haughty face. Still, she wore a friendly smile. "I am Brianna. You must be Crina. I'm delighted to meet you." Her accent was English, polite and cool.

Crina cocked her head. "Thank you," she said, "but I still don't know who you are."

Brianna crossed over to Crina, placing the tray down in front of her. Crina saw that there was a dish of soup, some bread, and a glass of wine. "I hope you find this satisfying," Brianna said. "As for who I am, I told you. Brianna."

Absent-mindedly, Crina raised a piece of bread and tore off a chunk with her teeth. "Are you a servant or something?"

Brianna's laugh was high-pitched and tinkly. "No, no, no. I'm Vlad's wife, Crina."

Crina felt a pang in her chest she couldn't quite explain as she surveyed the woman closely. "H-his wife? Vlad is married to you?"

"Yes, darling," replied Brianna with another laugh. "You sound almost disappointed."

Crina found it strange that Brianna did not sound at all jealous of the fact she had noticed. Crina was indeed disappointed, though it hurt to admit it. She was getting feelings for Vlad. She loved how she felt when he kissed her, when he looked at her, even though he scared her. Still, if he was married to such a lovely woman as Brianna, it didn't make sense for him to keep kissing her, or even to have brought her here, or indeed for Brianna to be impassive, even _happy_, about this. She decided to be honest. "I am, a little," she replied, sipping the wine gratefully.

Brianna nodded, standing watching Crina with those sharp eyes. "You will probably fall in love with him, in time," she said. "Most women do."

Crina blinked. Brianna seemed incredibly calm about this fact. "I assure you, I may care for him, but I will never love him," Crina replied. "My heart belongs to somebody else."

The sun was setting outside. It cast rich, orange-red light into the room, making Brianna glow strangely as she smiled and shook her head slowly. "No, Crina, you will forget all others and fall for Vlad. I promise you."

Crina felt her breath catch in her throat, though why she was not sure. Brianna seemed pleasant, if strange, and her words were calm and nice, but there was definately something wrong. Crina knew she had to get out of this place. She needed to go home. Right now, the prospect of Cristian Farkas seemed almost inviting. "I need to talk to Vlad."

"Vlad is out at the moment," Brianna replied softly, heading for the door. "He will not be back until nightfall. Now, eat up, and rest. You look like death!" And then she laughed that strange laugh, and left.

**To be continued.**


	8. The First Night

Shortly after eating and drinking, Crina felt sleep washing over her once again. Wondering if the food had been drugged, she allowed sleep to take her.

¯¨´·-.¸¸,.-´¨·.¸¸.·´´¯··..·

_"Why do I have to learn how to fight?" Crina sighed, tossing her long braid over her shoulder and fixing Ioan with an exasperated stare, her dark eyes glittering._

_His soft brown ones gazed back, twinkling, sparkling. He was grinning. "Because, my dear Crina, you will be sixteen in less than a week. So far, people have taught you a lot of things; housekeeping, mothering and the like. Forgive me, but that's all useful if you can't keep yourself alive to use them."_

¯¨´·-.¸¸,.-´¨·.¸¸.·´´¯··..·

A crash of thunder awoke Crina. The room was freezing. Heavy rain lashed against the window, a cold draught rolling across the air. Crina sat up slowly, a cold sweat on her skin. It was about midnight.

Vlad would be back now. She needed to see him. She needed to get answers to her questions. She needed him to take her home, where she felt safe, where everything was normal. But where would he be? As far as she knew, the castle was large, and it could be near impossible to find him.

Still, she couldn't just sit here and do nothing. Sighing shakily, she stood up, clutching the cloak around her slender frame, shivering in the cold. Praying the door was open, she hurried over, closing her hand around the aging doorknob. Holding her breath, she tugged.

The door was locked.

Crina cursed. Still, that didn't mean much. She stepped back, focusing her mind on getting the door open, and charged her shoulder into it, hard. The door opened.

Barely concealing a grin, she opened it all the way, feeling a rush of cold that made her room seem warm. For a moment, she stared out onto the dark, stone hallway, her eyes adjusting slowly. It was silent out here, a strange tense silence on the air. She blinked.

"Vlad?" she called, her voice echoing around as she stepped out. The stone floor was hideously cold.

Deciding to go left along the hall, she started to walk. The walls were dark and empty; there was no light, except the moonlight, which drifted in from a window right by the door she had just left. There were no more doors, and she could not see the end of the corridor.

"Vlad?" she repeated, her voice high and a little frightened. There was something strange about this place.

Finally she reached the end of the corridor. She saw it widened into a large room, with a set of stone steps spiralling down, and one going up. There was a large, beautiful window. Lightning flashed outside, illuminating the room. Soon afterwards, there was a clash of thunder. Crina shivered and drew the cloak closer. Now where should she go? She was contemplating going back to her room and waiting until the morning.

She called out one final time. "Vlad! Where are-?"

Crina never finished what she was saying because at that moment a hand grabbed her shoulder. She gasped in shock as she was spun roughly around. She was allowed a momentary glimpse at cruel blue eyes but a hand slapped her hard across the face, scratching her with sharp nails, lifting off her feet.

Crina felt herself hit the floor hard. She landed on her front, the wind knocked out of her. She was shaking, horrified, shocked. Who was the person who had hit her?

"Get up!" a male voice shouted. It was low, threatening, with a heavy Transylvanian accent. "I said _get up_, mortal!"

Mortal? Something was definately wrong. Crina tried to get up, not wanting to enrage him further, but her body just wouldn't move. She was frozen in fear, breathing sharply.

"I said," came the voice once more, now right at her ear, "**GET UP**!" His hand, large and strong, closed around her throat, choking her, lifting her as easily as if she were a ragdoll. She cried out, gasping for air, feeling the cloak fall away from her. He pinned her against the wall by her neck.

"Let- let- me go... you're ch-choking me..."

He was taller than she was, incredibly muscular underneath his white shirt and tight black trousers. Her vision was blurring, but she could make out sharp blue eyes and long messy blonde hair around a pale face. She saw him grin. "You are a mortal, I can tell from your... blood..." He whispered it obscenely, leaning close.

She forced out a short, high scream as he slowly ran his tongue across her cheek, licking the place where he had scratched her, licking up her blood.

"Yes, yes," he whispered into her ear, "_delicious_. I wonder what Vlad wants you for, mortal. He didn't mention you to me. A shame, a shame. Mortals are delicious, girl, and you're such a pretty one too. We could have a lot of... fun, you and me."

"Let go of me!" she choked, eyes watering. She wriggled hopelessly, terrified.

"Or perhaps... perhaps you aren't supposed to be in here at all..." he continued. There was a detached look in his eyes. This man was clearly insane. "Or perhaps... you're Vlad's _whore_... yes, yes, you look like a whore..."

Crina spat suddenly in his face. He realised her, shocked, and she darted away from him, heading for the staircase that went up. Panting, shaking, she began to run up them. She didn't get far.

Large cold hands closed around her ankles and tugged. She screamed again as she fell flat on the stairs, rolling over in time to see the man step up beside her. She lay still, shaking, as he looked at her hungrily.

"Pretty mortal," he leered. Slowly, he squatted down, reaching out to touch her neck.

"_Vlad_!" she screamed, hardly aware of what was coming out of her mouth. "_Please, Vlad!_"

The man chuckled, leaning closer, his hand brushing her neck. He nipped her earlobe with his teeth before whispering, "Vlad won't save you! He brings women for this purpose, _whore_..." His hand moved down.

Crina screamed, thrashing, slapping at him with both hands. He laughed, then grabbed both of her hands suddenly, pinning them down above her head with one of his own. Shaking, she spat again.

He was expecting it this time, but he still loosened his grip a little. Taking advantage of this, Crina leapt forward, tackling him. They both fell to the floor at the bottom of the stairs as lightening flashed. Crina found herself on top of him, and balled her fist, preparing to hit him.

His eyes glinted evilly and shoved her shoulders. It didn't appear he even put much effort into it, but she flew up in the air, landing painfully on her back a little away from him. Thunder crashed outside. Crina pushed herself to her feet quickly, in time to see him reach her, lift her and throw her at the wall.

Crina hit the wall hard, feeling her nose break. She cried out in pain as she dropped to the floor, landing on her side. She had banged her head, and was in a state of semi-consciousness, unable to move.

The man laughed and scooped her up in his arms roughly, carrying her over to the wooden banister of the down staircase, holding her over it. She stared down, breathless. The ground was a very, very long way away from up here. If he dropped her, she would die.

"Please!" she cried out. "Please, don't-"

With a final cruel laugh, the man dropped her.

"Vlad!" Crina screamed, falling, falling, dying.

**To be continued.**


	9. After The Fall

Funny how, as she fell, time seemed to slow down. Crina found herself paying very little attention to how stiff her body had become, how her long hair fluttered around her face, how cold she was, how when the lightening flashed the blonde man appeared to have sharp fangs as he grinned. Instead, she felt a sense of calm. She wondered if Ioan would be waiting for her when she reached the bottom.

But Crina never reached the bottom.

She must have been almost seven feet from it when strong arms caught her gently.

Blinking in confusion, she looked down to see Vlad standing, quite calmly, on the floor, looking up at her, his arms raised above his head, holding her. He smiled softly at her, in a caring sort of way, then lowered his arms, cradling her long, slender body into his torso.

Everything that had just happened seemed to hit Crina suddenly. She began to shake uncontrollably and felt herself begin to cry. She buried her face into Vlad's neck, feeling safe. He had saved her. Impossible as the catch had been, he had saved her, he had caught her.

"Viktor!" he thundered up, sounding more frightening than anything she had just experienced. "**Viktor**! You will pay for this, you have no right!"

Silence answered his words. Crina looked up gingerly, seeing that Viktor had vanished. The knowledge that he was still prowling around the castle chilled her. She sobbed.

"Hush, child, hush," Vlad whispered comfortingly. "It is over."

Crina remembered Vlad flying at her that afternoon, and realised it had scared her more than the entire experience with Viktor. But now Vlad was being kind, so caring, and she felt completely safe. "Vlad..." she whispered.

"Will you come with me?" Vlad asked softly, his blue eyes earnest. He clearly didn't want Crina to think he was doing anything against her will. Still, Crina feared if he put her down her legs would simply give way, so she didn't have much choice. She nodded.

He carried her to the nearest door. It opened onto a small, yet grand bedroom. Red curtains were closed over the window. Lamps cast a warm golden glow on the room. There was a large four-poster bed made up in white silk, with white curtains around it, a desk with an armchair, a wardrobe and a chest of drawers. Vlad walked over to the bed.

"Please," Crina begged, finding her voice at last. "Please don't put me down."

Vlad raised his eyebrows, but did not let go of her. Instead, he sat down upon the bed himself, so that Crina was sat upon his legs, curled up against him. "Why don't you want me to put you down?" he asked quietly.

She blinked, lowering her eyes. "Because... I feel so safe."

Vlad nodded. He looked momentarily pleased. Then he pressed a gentle, reassuring kiss to Crina's forehead. "Are you alright, Crina?"

Crina closed her eyes. She wasn't alright, she had never been so scared in her life. There was something _wrong_ in this castle. "No," she whispered.

They were silent for a long time, Crina burrowing into Vlad, inhaling his musky, pleasant scent. Vlad rocked her back and forth slightly, stroking her long soft hair with his fingers, making no comment as to how tangled it now was. They listened to the thunder crashing and the rain pouring down.

Crina broke the silence. "How did you catch me, Vlad? It's practically impossible, I'm sure."

Vlad chuckled, turning her head gently so she was looking into his eyes. "Trust me, it was not hard. As long as I'm around, I will always catch you when you fall. I promise."

"Thank you," she said quietly, lowering her eyes. "But seriously, how?"

"I have excellent reflexes." He chuckled to himself, then sighed. "I'm sorry, Crina, I really shouldn't let him wander around this place. I know what he's like."

Crina shuddered, twisting her hands together as she remembered. "He... he licked my blood."

Vlad suddenly looked livid. His eyes glowed manically. "He bit you?" he demanded.

"No, no. He scratched me." Crina gestured to her cheek.

Vlad's expression softened. He touched the scratches gently. "I am sorry. Viktor is quite mad, especially when it comes to women. I assure you, Crina, he will pay for this. He will definately pay for this."

Crina bit her lip thoughtfully. Now was the time to bring up a topic that had been bothering her. "Vlad? Don't you feel a little worried about your _wife_, wandering around when Viktor is here?" She studied his reaction closely.

For a moment his expression remained the same, then slowly it darkened. He sighed and pushed Crina gently onto the bed, standing up and crossing over to the window, fingering the curtains slowly. He was silent for about a minute, then he spoke in a soft voice. "Crina, I don't think this is the right time to talk about this."

She glared up at him, trying to remain calm. She wasn't going to let him get out of talking about Brianna by being emotional and quiet. "No, Vlad. I want to talk about it now. It isn't fair on me if we don't."

He turned back to her, his eyes darker than before. His expression was impassive. "I warn you that you may not like what you hear."

"That does not surprise me." She felt tears prickling her eyes. "Vlad... how do you feel about me?" Her heart was racing. She knew how deeply she felt about him.

"Interesting question," he replied slowly, apparently caught off-guard. He carefully fixed a loose strand of ebony hair. "I must know... do you have feelings for me, Crina?"

She stiffened automatically. "You can't ask me that," she responded, dark eyes flashing. "My heart is Ioan's. I feel for no other." But even as she said the words, she knew they weren't true, and she hung her head.

"Crina." She started as his hand touched her shoulder. He was kneeling beside her on the bed. A strand of hair had escaped again and was hanging in his face. He was biting his lip. It made him look very vunerable and it made her heart melt. "Crina... you keep kissing me. That clearly isn't true." He took her hand slowly. "Please... tell me the truth, Crina. I need to know."

Hiding under her veil of hair, she felt herself begin to cry. Was there any use denying the truth, when it was obvious to both of them? Pushing Ioan out of her mind, she replied quietly, "I'm not sure, Vlad. I care about you... deeply. I- I think I'm falling in love with you." There, she had said it. Her shoulders trembled.

Vlad was silent. It lasted for a very long time until finally Crina couldn't stand it anymore and looked up into his face to see him looking at her intently. His expression was typically unreadable. Upon seeing her sad face and wet eyes, he squeezed her hand gently.

She blinked at him. "Say something," she whispered. "Please."

"I would if I knew what to say. Oh, Crina."

She sniffed, fighting the urge to burst into tears. "You knew anyway."

"I knew not that your feelings ran so deep, beautiful one." Vlad closed his eyes slowly, lowering his head. He looked almost sad, sorry. He released her hand and chewed his lip. "However, I knew you cared. That is why I did not tell you about Brianna. That is why you could not know. It would hurt you."

But he wasn't telling her the full truth, and she knew it. She stared at him. "Is that the only reason, Vlad?"

He blinked, surprised, holding her gaze steadily. "No." He stood up again and wandered to the end of the bed, holding onto one of the posts with both hands, facing away from her. When he spoke his voice was loud and deep with emotion. "No, Crina! I did not tell you of Brianna because I knew it... it... would make you hate me! I could not bare to lose you, have you hate me, because I..." His voice trailed off desperately.

She waited for him to say something. He cared? He wanted to be with her? He _loved _her? She didn't care what he said... just so long as he finished his sentence. However, he did not. Pushing back her hair and standing up, she said, "Vlad, please be straight with me."

He turned to her suddenly. His expression was intense, dangerous, yet caring. He wrapped one arm around her waist and drew her to him, then held the back of her head with his other hand and pulled her head towards his. She closed her eyes as his lips met her own in a long, deep, passionate kiss. It didn't exactly answer anything but she knew it was the best she was going to get.

When their lips became detached, he whispered, "Would you like to watch the sunrise? I believe it is due."

She sighed. "I have many more questions."

He held her tightly, one strand of his hair tickling her nose. His expression was sincere. "Please, Crina. Not tonight. Not now. All of your questions will be answered eventually, I promise. Now, please sit down."

Crina, sighing again, giving up, sank back onto the bed. Her head was heavy. Vlad went over to the window and, in one swift strong motion, he tugged the curtains open. The pale, pre-sunrise light filtered weakly into the room. Crina was sure she heard him hiss as he returned to her, sitting down beside her. No words were spoken; he wrapped his arms around her, and she leaned against him, resting her head on his chest, and together they watched the sunrise, Crina wondering how deep Vlad's feelings ran.

**To be continued.**


	10. The Second Bride

Crina woke up, but she didn't open her eyes. She was so comfortable, so happy. She wondered when she had fallen asleep, and what time it was now. She pondered trying to go back to sleep. "Mm... Vlad?" she murmured sleepily.

When there was no reply, she slowly opened her eyes, sitting up reluctantly and looking around the room. Vlad had gone. The light rushing in was bright, clear. It was morning. Rubbing her eyes, Crina tried to focus her thoughts. She wondered where Vlad had gone.

Memories of the previous night washed over her, overpowering and rich. She longed to be back in Vlad's safe arms, but on the other hand she knew there was something almost sinister about this castle, and she wanted to leave.

"Oh, I need to get out of here," she moaned to herself, standing up and crossing to the window, feeling chilly and rough. Her hair was a tangled mess, her nightdress torn, her scratched face aching.

Blinking slowly, she thought of Ioan. Her beautiful Ioan; she had not seen him in her dreams that night. This thought chilled her deeper than the cold of the castle. Perhaps she was falling out of love with him. She knew she cared deeply for Vlad. She felt torn, unsure of what to do. Her feelings were running away with her.

There was a sudden, sharp knock at the door. Crina turned to face it, heart racing. "Vlad?" she called out.

The door opened, but it was not Vlad who stepped inside. A woman entered, a woman so breathtakingly stunning she seemed to make the air around her glow. She was rather short, slender but curvy, with long straight black hair falling around her pale shoulders. Sharp scarlet eyes shone out of her beautiful face; she wore a very revealing dress of exactly the same colour. She smiled coyly at Crina. "Good morning, Crina. I am Natasja."

Crina stared at her. She wondered if Natasja was some sort of servant, for she was clutching a tray of breakfast. However, she remembered thinking the same thing about Brianna, and wondered if she was in for another heart-wrenching surprise. "Good morning," she replied stiffly.

"I have brought you some breakfast," Natasja replied, cocking her head, as though inspecting Crina. "I also have some supplies to clean your scratches with, if you like."

"Thank you." Crina felt a little uneasy in Natasja's presence. She sat down on the bed and Natasja strode over, placing the tray down before her. Crina reached for the cup of tea, as Natasja bustled over the window and closed the curtains hastily. Crina found this strange, but decided not to comment.

Natasja returned, smiling, and poured a little green liquid from a bottle onto a cloth. "This might sting a little," she warned, wiping at Crina's scratched face.

Crina whimpered at the pain. It stung. "What is that?" she asked through clenched teeth.

"Just some cleaning liquid. It'll have those scratches healed quickly," Natasja replied, continuing dabbing at Crina's face, making her bite her lip to keep from crying out.

When Natasja had finally finished, and had settled herself on the bed beside Crina, Crina took a large mouthful of the warm, relaxing tea, then asked, "What are you doing around here?" She was positively dreading the answer. Natasja must be Vlad's lover.

"I live here!" Natasja said with a small laugh. "I am Vlad's wife."

Crina's jaw dropped. "H-his w-w-wife?" she repeated, numb. She must have heard incorrectly. Vlad was married to Brianna. He couldn't be married to Natasja too.

"Yes, his wife." Natasja definately sounded amused now. "You seem surprised, Crina."

"I am!" Crina breathed. She couldn't take this in. Vlad was married to _two_ women? How had he convinced them to both be his wives? And what did that mean for Crina? She needed answers... then she needed to get out of here. "I need to see Vlad."

"He is currently busy," Natasja said crisply, her sharp eyes glittering at Crina. "Some problems with the townsfolk, you know, they're demanding your release and whatnot."

Crina thought of Cristian Farkas. Even he seemed loving and safe in comparison to this place. Shaking slightly, she said, "I want to leave."

Natasja threw back her head and laughed loudly. It was a strange, eerie sound that made the hairs on Crina's neck stand up. "That will never happen, Crina," she said wickedly.

"But-" began Crina heatedly, but Natasja cut across her.

"Do not argue with me, it has nothing to do with me. Now, Vlad wants you to be properly dressed for dinner tonight. He has ordered a full, formal meal to be prepared." Natasja rose gracefully.

"I'm not going!" Crina yelled. She was hurting, confused, trapped. She felt emotion build up at the back of her throat and swallowed hard and painfully.

Natasja was heading for the door. "I warn you not to defy Vlad." She sounded sincere, worried. "It will only end in pain. Now, you will find clothes in the wardrobe."

Crina stared in horror at the beautiful woman. Tears of heartbreak were filling her eyes. Vlad was playing mind games with her, he had to be. And she was falling for them, falling in love with him as he made a blatent mockery of her feelings. She wanted to be free of this place, free of everything, free with Ioan.

"Please-" she whimpered, tears splashing down her cheeks, but Natasja had gone.

Crina screamed.

**To be continued.**


	11. No Escape

For Crina, the day passed quickly. She lay curled up sobbing, shivering, hurting. Her heart ached. Vlad had lied to her, made out like he cared- but how could he? She wanted to leave. She would return home, beg to be taken by Cristian Farkas, beg for forgiveness. This castle scared her, and she felt trapped.

Slowly, she formulated a plan. She would go to the meal with Vlad tonight, and try to overpower him. Then, she would escape the castle. She was sure she could make it back to the village. Someone would see her, and save her.

So, as the sun set, she opened the wardrobe and looked inside. There was only one dress in here, a stunning, heavy gown of red satin. It would certainly be hard to make an escape in. Still, she had no other option. Also in the wardrobe were some high-heeled black boots and white satin gloves. Rolling in her eyes in disgust, Crina quickly changed. She looked at herself in the mirror on the inside of the wardrobe. She looked quite stunning.

Her hair was a mess, and her cheek still looked bad. She ran her fingers through her tangles of hair, wincing in pain, until it fell smooth and shiny around her face. Now, she thought she looked lovely.

That was when she saw Ioan standing behind her in the mirror, smiling.

She gasped, and turned around, heart racing. The room was empty.

She looked back to the mirror. There was no Ioan. She must have imagined him. Disappointment flooded through her, and she smoothed her hair once more, a strange feeling in her stomach.

There was a knock at the door that jolted Crina from her shocked daze. She looked around as Natasja entered, scarlet eyes sweeping Crina approvingly. "I'm glad to see you made the right decision," Natasja said, smiling. "You look fantastic. Come with me."

Crina was stiff and silent as she followed Natasja out of the room and down a flight of stairs. A cool blast of air ruffled Crina's hair as they reached ornate double doors. Natasja smiled at her, then pushed the doors open.

In here was a large, grand dining room, lit by flaming torches on the walls. There was long table covered in dishes of food, and Crina felt her mouth water just looking at it. She was famished, but the sight of Vlad sitting calmly at the head of the table killed her hunger.

Natasja pushed Crina gently into the room then left, closing the doors behind her. For a moment Crina just stood facing Vlad, an overwhelming urge to attack him for all the pain he had caused flooding into her. And yet, she still cared for him, as strongly as ever.

"Dear Crina," Vlad said calmly, standing up. He looked gorgeous, his hair perfectly clipped back, dressed in a black jacket with silver fastenings and black trousers tucked into shiny black boots. Those deep blue eyes stared at her, and she knew he knew what she was thinking. "You look stunning."

Crina's dark eyes left his for a moment and fell on a carving knife lying on the table beside a roast bird. Her eyes found his again.

"Don't make me hurt you, Crina." He sounded grave, walking towards her, his expression impassive.

"You already have done!" she cried bitterly, snatching up the knife in one smooth motion and holding it defensively as he stopped a foot or so from her.

He raised an eyebrow. "What are you expecting, Crina? I do not fear you or the knife in your hand."

"Let me go," she replied coldly, trying to stay in control, but she had a horrible feeling this was all about to go very wrong indeed. Vlad wasn't reacting in the scared, shocked way she had anticipated.

"Put the knife down, Crina." He licked his lips. "Put it _down, _now, Crina."

She lunged at him, swinging for his face with her fist, the knife held by her side. He allowed her to get one punch in, and she heard the satisfying crunch of his breaking nose. However, after this, she raised her arm again, but Vlad grabbed her wrists in his iron grip, holding them down by her sides. He looked livid.

"Put the knife down," he ordered coldly. "I am not fooling around, Crina. Put it down."

She stood still, staring at him. Only he could make her feel like this; a strange longing to throw herself into his arms mingled with the urge to swing for him. However, she knew she must escape. She did not release the knife. Instead, she swung it around her grip, so that it cut Vlad's hand. He cried out in surprise and released her.

Taking advantage of this, she tackled him to the floor, holding the knife to his throat, smiling in victory. "I want you to let me go... I want to get out of here," she ordered.

To her surprise, he laughed loudly. "Oh, Crina," he chuckled.

Then he rolled over suddenly, so that he was on top of her instead, blue eyes flashing wickedly. A lot of his hair had fallen loose around his face and he grinned in a way she could only describe as evil.

Crina stabbed the knife into his chest.

His eyes widened, his mouth formed a shocked circle, but no sound came out. Then, he dropped to floor beside her, still.

What had she done? Crina lay still, shaking. She couldn't look at him... she had killed him. She had killed him. And she loved him. Heartbreak, loss, flooded through her like cold water, gripping itself around her heart. She had killed Vlad, the man she loved.

A cold hand grabbed her wrist.

She screamed in horror, sitting up to see that it was Vlad's. Suddenly, his eyes opened and he grinned. "Hello, Crina."

"Oh my God," she whispered, tugging herself out of his grip and scrabbling away. How had he survived the stabbing? Of course, she knew that it wasn't always fatal, but never before had she known a man to sit and talk and grin after having a carving knife thrust into his chest.

Vlad stood up quite calmly, the knife still sticking obscenely out of his chest. He glanced down at it, then pulled it out with an air of distaste, throwing it across the room. It landed with a clatter in the corner.

"Why aren't... why aren't you dead?" Crina breathed, lying still in shock on the floor. "Or even _hurt_?"

"I am hurt, Crina," he said slowly, taking a step forward. "I thought you cared for me. How could you stab me, my **_love_**?" He sounded angry, cold, and he spat out the last word mockingly.

"Please..." she whimpered. She was shaking, terrified. Something was _wrong_.

He walked to her slowly, deliberately, then knelt down beside her. For a moment he just stared at her angrily, then he extended his arm, offering her his long pale fingers. When she just stared at his hand, he said quietly, "Take it, Crina. Let me help you up."

She was shocked by his sudden mood change, and wasn't sure she quite trusted him. However, since he seemed quite calm, she asked shakily, "Are Natasja and Brianna both married to you?"

He lowered his head, eyes closed, licking his lips slowly. "You know they are."

"But-" she began, but he cut across her.

"Crina, it really doesn't concern you for the moment," Vlad sighed, then took her arm and stood up, tugging her up with him. He looked her up and down. "Are you hurt?"

"No," she said, still confused as to his change in mood. "But, Vlad, what about me... what about me? Am I going to be... be... be a wife to you?"

He steered her over to a chair by the table and pushed her gently into it. He knelt down beside her, so that their faces were inches from each other, and for a moment he just smiled. Then he shrugged. "We shall see," he said quietly. Then he stole a quick kiss.

Crina watched him go back to his seat uncertainly. He sat down quite calmly and smiled gently at her. Crina looked uneasily back. She had forgotten about her plan to escape. She knew there was no escape, she would never be able to escape Vlad. She cared for him too much.

"I need you, my love," Vlad said suddenly, softly. Crina looked at him, startled. He was watching her intently, blue eyes dark with emotion.

This melted Crina. She nodded, fighting back tears, and smiled a little to show she understood. Then she remembered her previous feelings of being mocked for her feelings by Vlad. She felt confusion making her head spin. She wanted to believe him.

"There will be a ball here tomorrow night," he continued. He reached across the table and took her hand gently. "Please be my partner, Crina. Say you will."

Crina hesitated, then nodded slowly. A ball would be a perfect chance to mix with other people and find out more information. "Of course I will, Vlad."

**To be continued.**

_A/N: Thank you to everyone who is reading and reviewing this. I hope you're all enjoying it. In total there will be 23 chapters to this. I can reveal that some characters from the movie will be in the next chapter (though I'm not saying who- go ahead and guess!) and that Crina is close to discovering the truth about Vlad and his brides. Enjoy!_


	12. Van Helsing

Silence echoed around the bedroom as, assisted by candlelight, Natasja and Brianna dressed Crina the following evening. She had been bathed, scrubbed, washed in a heavily scented soap that made her skin glow and smell of spices, then pushed back into the room. Nobody was speaking.

Crina held onto the bedpost, fighting back tears of pain as Natasja laced her corset tightly. Brianna was somehow managing to get black stockings on at the same time. Crina knew she was getting in too deep, but she knew this place, these people, had a terrible secret, and that she was close to discovering it.

She also knew she was in love with Vlad. Despite knowing practically nothing about him, she was in love with him, and this caused her greater despair than anything else. She missed Ioan. She felt like she was betraying him, his love. But there was no Ioan, only Vlad.

The wives, as Crina thought of them repulsively, forced her body into an incredibly tight, beautiful dress, with a long, flowing skirt. It was made of midnight blue satin, embroidered with silver snowflakes, with a low-cut neckline and short sleeves. She watched in the mirror as they placed heeled boots on her feet, and began work on her hair and face.

Natasja pulled her hair into a tight bun that made Crina wince, whilst Brianna outlined her eyes in black and painted her lips red. Natasja slid a silver ornament in the shape of a butterfly into Crina's hair.

Finally, pulling on black silk gloves, Crina stared at herself. She looked stunning. She hardly recognised herself.

"Come. It is time," Natasja said.

Flanked by them, Crina was taken to a long, grand stone staircase that went straight down into a ballroom. Loud, beautiful music was being played by a band in the corner. The room was large and full of people, dancing, socialising, all dressed formally. There were people on the stairs, talking, laughing, some of them looking up at Crina in admiration.

Then Vlad appeared. He climbed the stairs calmly to them, looking amazing. Crina looked down as he approached, his hair pinned back neatly, dressed in a midnight blue satin tunic and black trousers tucked into boots.

"Thank you, Brianna, Natasja," he purred, coming to a stop before them. "You have done well, my dears." He reached out and touched Crina's cheek with a gloved hand, making it feel warm. "She looks amazing."

"Thank you, Master," the wives simpered back.

Crina looked up, finding the fact they had called him 'Master' quite strange. Vlad, however, looked as impassive as ever, and he waved them away with an airy hand. Perhaps Crina had heard incorrectly.

"Good evening, Miss Arany," Vlad said, with a trace of a smile. He offered his arm. "May I?"

Crina took his arm. He took her down the steps in silence, past all of the people. They all stared enviously at Crina, and she felt a small glow of pride. They reached the bottom and Vlad took her over to a bench, sitting down and gesturing to her to do the same, which she did.

"Who are all these people?" she asked, as he squeezed her hand.

"Friends of mine," Vlad smiled. He paused, looking a little nervous. One of his hands touched her cheek again, lingered there, as he stared deeply into her eyes. "I... I have a gift for you, Crina."

"I cannot accept anything from you," she said, shaking her head.

He reached into his pocket, producing a beautiful silver necklace, encrusted with sparkling diamonds. Ignoring her protest, he slipped his hands around her neck, causing it to erupt in goosebumps. She lowered her eyes as he fastened the necklace and then drew back to examine it. "Beautiful..." he murmured.

"Thank you, Vlad," she whispered.

He leaned forward and kissed her neck gently, making it tingle. "You're beautiful," he told her quietly. "You're so, so beautiful, Crina."

He rose suddenly, taking her arm and twirling her out onto the dancefloor. She danced without question, feeling completely at ease in his arms, amazed at how well they seemed to fit together. The music was intoxicating, and she soon lost herself in it, occassionally looking up at Vlad into those deep blue orbs that glittered down at her.

"Crina..." he purred as he spun her elegantly. "There are some people here you need to know." He drew her closer to him once more and whispered into her ear, making her spine prickle, "They are in the far corner, Crina."

Crina looked over. Indeed, there were three shady looking people huddled there. The most prominent was a tall, muscular man with long brown hair and a kind face. Brown eyes looked out sharply around the room. He was wearing black velvet, looking smart but still he didn't quite fit in. Beside him stood a shorter, paler man with red-blonde hair that looked smooth and soft, and intelligent blue eyes. He too was wearing black velvet. The woman who was with them was short and very skinny, with a lot of freckles on her pale face and bright green eyes. Long, curly red hair tumbled about her green velvet dress.

"Who are they?" Crina asked, noticing that they all looked tense.

Vlad pulled her, if possible, even closer. "That, my dear, is the great Gabriel Van Helsing and his comrades. They have no doubt been hired by Cristian Farkas to find you... and kill me."

Crina blinked. Cristian must really want her. But it was too late... much too late. She was in love with Vlad. The knowledge made her head throb as the music slowed, Vlad dipping her and then raising her quickly. "Can I be excused to get a drink?" she asked.

"Of course, but hurry back to me, my dear," Vlad smiled.

**To be continued.**


	13. Vampires

Pouting prettily, Crina poured herself some punch. She was uncomfortably hot, feeling a little sticky. She smiled politely at a handsome young man beside her, then pushed her way through the crowd to a bench at the side. She sat down gracefully, sipping the punch. It tasted sharp, a little too alcoholic for her tastes.

She watched Vlad. He was standing talking to a young lady and gentleman. They were obviously a couple, but the lady kept tossing her blonde curls flirtatiously and fluttering her eyelashes at Vlad. He was standing, hands clasped behind his back, talking politely.

Crina could tell Vlad didn't want this woman. Vlad wanted _Crina. _The thought warmed her and chilled her. She loved him, completely and utterly, but she had no idea how strong his feelings for her were. Did he love her? And there was still the issue of the two wives, the obvious fact this castle was shrouded in mystery. She thought of Viktor and shuddered in horror. And he was still loose in this place.

She needed to get out, but she couldn't... or wouldn't. Whether she liked it or not, she knew she was bonded to this place.

A gloved hand touched her shoulder from behind suddenly. "Ma'am?"

She only had time to turn and register the face she now knew as Gabriel Van Helsing, grim and serious, before suddenly he had grabbed her roughly, his hand over her mouth, dragging her towards a curtained alcove. Nobody noticed. Nobody heard her squealing behind his hand. The glass of punch lay on the floor.

He pushed her roughly in. It was dimly lit and deserted. Nobody would find them here. Her heart was racing. She longed to shout for Vlad.

"Hey-" she began, but he tackled her to the floor suddenly, pinning her down. She didn't think to argue or try to escape. He radiated strength and power, and despite the situation, she still wanted to trust those soft eyes of his.

"No funny business," he said in his deep, soft voice. "Or else." And then he produced a silver stake.

Crina felt a horrible idea build up inside of her. She knew what silver stakes were related to... Ioan had told her, so long ago, on one of their training days. But no... it couldn't be true...

"Vampires." She spoke around a large, painful lump that had formed in her throat.

Van Helsing cocked an eyebrow.

"I'm not... I'm human..."

"Sure," he said, rolling his eyes. Then he seemed to relent, checking her pulse at her throat, then narrowing his eyes. "Alright, then who the hell are you?"

But the horrible idea was taking over. "Wait... why the stake... why vampires?"

Van Helsing stood up, tugging her up gently. She leaned against the wall, breathing heavily. For a moment he just stood, looking at her through those amazingly kind eyes. Then he let out a grim chuckle. "You mean you didn't know? They all are... everyone in that room... they're _vampires_."

Crina didn't wait. She dashed from the alcove, collapsing against the nearest wall, numb. Her head was spinning, eyes watering, heart racing. It had to be a lie... it had to be. And yet it made everything make sense. Viktor's fangs, Vlad catching her. It explained why Viktor had called her 'mortal'.

Vlad... Vlad a vampire? She was horrified that she believed it was true. She loved... a vampire. As the dancing couples twirled before her, Crina remembered with a jolt that vampires couldn't love. They simply had no feelings.

She needed to get out.

Vlad appeared before her, blue eyes deep and locked into her own dark ones. He was holding out his hand to her, but she could only think of the terrible winged vampires that she had watched in fear from her bedroom window as they attacked the village. Vlad was speaking, his voice urgent, but she couldn't hear.

She darted past him, sprinting for the stairs, crying, finally completely heartbroken.

**To be continued.**


	14. Count Vladislaus Dragulia

The entrance hall was a cool, calm stone room, empty and peaceful. Crina's heels echoed as she ran in, then stopped, staring at the doorway. It was large, black, with silver snakes painted on it. And through it... freedom.

Tears ran down her face freely. She was devastated.

This castle had brought only pain. She longed to see little Elena and Danut, bury her face in their soft golden curls. She wanted to fall into her mother's arms, climb into her own bed and eat her mother's wonderful onion soup.

Freedom.

She took a shaky step forward, then another one. Then she was walking confidently, heading for the exit.

"Crina!" She heard Vlad's voice call from behind her, and momentarily froze. Was she really just going to leave him? But then, she had to. He was... he was evil.

She was standing just in front of the door when his hand grabbed her arm. She turned to him, emotions rushing, stared at his confused, soft face, and almost forgot why she was leaving.

"Let... let go of me," she said, shaking her head.

Vlad's blue eyes looked wet. He blinked. "Crina... why? What happened?"

She looked away. She was going to cry, she just knew it. Her eyes were burning. She had to ask. She had to know. "Who... who are you?"

He raised his eyebrows. "You know who I am, I'm Vlad, Crina." He moved as though to hug her tenderly, but anger made her push his arms away and step back. Vlad looked hurt.

"Who are you really?" she demanded, disregarding his pain, even though it took huge emotional effort.

A tear rolled down his cheek. He sighed deeply. "So you know, then." He wiped the tear and swallowed, shaking his head, looking every bit as though his heart was breaking. Crina reminded herself bitterly his heart was cold and dead. He spoke again softly. "I am Count Vladislaus Dragulia. Born 1422... Murdered 1462."

She knew this name. Vlad was Count Dracula. The overseer of all the terrible monsters, head vampire, most evil of all beings. And Crina loved him. But still she asked shakily, "Vampire?"

He stared at the floor. "Yes."

"Can I leave?" Crina was crying, though she didn't notice.

"But... but you love me."

"That doesn't matter," Crina sobbed, her chest hurting. "It doesn't matter at all! You're... you're..." Her voice tailed off.

Vlad reached for her hand suddenly. Surprised, she didn't jerk away. "Crina, I need you." She looked into that perfect ivory face and saw the honesty there. "I'd never hurt you, Crina."

Was she really going to leave the only person she had left? She had lost her first love, did it make sense to leave the second love? Even if he was... what he was, he was still Vlad, the man she loved. Wasn't he? She was on the point of caving in, she knew it.

"Stay." He whispered the word, another tear freeing itself from his eye. "Stay, Crina, I am begging you."

Her lips trembled. "I'll stay," she whispered, closing her eyes.

Then they were in a tight, loving embrace. Crina couldn't deny how she felt about this vampire, so blindly in love. She sobbed into his shoulder, never wanting to let go.

He lifted her into his arms, as he had done the night when Viktor had attacked her. As she whimpered and cried, so confused, he took her upstairs, back to the bedroom, closing the door carefully behind them. He placed her down on the bed, and she was caught in moonlight that drifted in through the window.

"Are you going to kill Van Helsing?" she asked without thinking, lying down, suddenly sleepy.

Vlad closed the curtains. "Van Helsing will live for today." He lay down beside her.

As Crina lay in his arms, she began to cry hard again. What had she let herself in for?

**To be continued.**


	15. Family Connections

Crina didn't know if she had slept, or if any time had passed at all. She was lying on the bed, her head on Vlad's chest, noticing that it did not rise and fall. There was something strangely right about this situation, lying in his arms, sharing blissful silence.

"Are you awake, Crina?" His voice was soft. For a moment she did not reply, her mind numb. It was as though all things normal and expected in the world had vanished. Vlad was a vampire, he was Dracula, and she was in love with him. She swallowed. It was hard to take in, impossible to understand.

"I'm awake." She raised her dark eyes to look at him, the calm impassive face of her love. He smiled a little.

"It is morning, beautiful one," he purred. He toyed with a strand of her hair that had fallen loose, tucking it behind her ear. He cupped her cheek with his hand.

She sighed, and sat up, swinging her legs over the side of the bed. "Dracula," she murmured.

"Yes?" he asked, squatting behind her, his hands on her shoulders. He was close; his hair tickled her bare skin, and his intoxicating scent filled her nostrils.

"Are you going to bite me?"

He sighed himself, and she felt him lower his head. Then, he climbed out from behind her onto the floor, crouching before her, taking her hands in his soft ones. He held her gaze with a troubled expression. "I do not know, Crina."

She smiled bitterly. "You know I would not stop you."

"I know."

She reached out to touch his cool cheek. "I love you. God, how I love you..." She hesitated, then asked, "Do you love me, Vladislaus?"

To her surprise, Dracula laughed. He pushed himself to his feet, arms spread wide, head tilted back. "I am empty, Crina! I feel no sorrow, no pain... no love... I am hollow, and I will live..." His entire body appeared to sag, and he lowered his head, whispering the final word, "... forever."

Crina felt her heart ache. "Tell me, is there no way, Vlad?"

"There is one way," he said quietly. "But it will not happen. If a mortal spills their blood for me, I can love them... it is a funny old thing."

Crina sighed, and lay back down. Vlad would never love her back. It made her feel hopeless.

"I would love you if I could," Vlad whispered. "I promise you that. I feel nothing for my wives, but for you... I can _feel _something. It is strange..."

She closed her eyes as the strangeness of the situation washed over her again. This was proving hard to take in. She covered her face with her hands. "This is so wrong..."

Vlad sat down beside her. "Please explain."

"Ioan," she said quietly, and she remembered her first love with a painful jolt. "I mean, Ioan spent his life fighting people like you. He... he taught me to fight evil, to hate evil. But look at me... he'd kill himself if he saw me now..." Crina fought down tears.

Vlad touched her arm. "I knew of Ioan," he said quietly. "Not well, but I know he was a good man."

Crina nodded, sadly. "A very good man. He was a brave man, a kind man."

"I agree. Ioan Valerious did not deserve to die."

**To be continued.**


	16. Death In The Castle

Vlad left Crina alone later that morning, so that she could get changed. He gave her a soft white jersey and black trousers, with boots. She changed quickly, pausing to admire the diamonds still at her throat. Diamonds. They sparkled beautifully, reminding her of twinkling eyes she had loved so much.

¯¨´·-.¸¸,.-´¨·.¸¸.·´´¯··..·

_"Happy birthday, Crina!" Ioan spun the slender figure of Crina around him gracefully. He had loved her since he had first met her, but now she was no longer a child. The girl was now a woman, of sixteen years._

_"Thank you," she sighed, smiling happily, the pretty face beautiful now, the smooth hands slightly rougher from the lessons Ioan was teaching her._

_"You are amazing," he whispered, and then he was hugging her, their eyes locked. His twinkled, the amazing soft brown showing deep care. He stroked her hair. "Dear God, Crina, how beautiful you have grown."_

_She laughed. "You told me learning to defend myself was more important than beauty."_

_"Only because you are so naturally gifted in the latter. Miss Arany, my dear Miss Arany, they tell me that there is a dance in your honour this evening. Forgive me for asking... but will you attend it with me?" A stray curl blew across his forehead, his eyes anxious as he awaited her reply._

_Her heart was racing, her breathing rapid. "I would go with no other, Ioan..." Then their lips met, touching softly._

¯¨´·-.¸¸,.-´¨·.¸¸.·´´¯··..·

Crina sighed, picking up the hairbrush Vlad had left and shaking her hair free down her back, brushing it until it was smooth. Things had been so simple then, and now... She needed to think. Damn her for falling for Vlad, when she had promised herself it would never happen. She tugged her hair hard with the brush.

"Crina, are you ready yet?" Vlad's voice floated through the door.

She chewed her lips. "Yes, Vladislaus." She looked up at him as he walked back in, a wonderful figure in black. He saw her troubled expression and she looked away.

His lips brushed her forehead and he held her. "What is it, Crina?"

"May I walk? I feel I must think, Vlad," she pleaded.

He stroked her soft cheek, smiling lovingly. "Anything you like, my darling. I only want you to be happy in this castle. It is your home too."

She returned the tender kiss he gave her, her mind far away, resting firmly with Ioan, her beautiful, lost love. Finally, Vlad pulled away, and Crina rose, heading towards the door. "Good-day, Vladislaus," she said.

He smiled, then quickly rose. "Crina- wait!" As she turned back to him, her hand on the doorknob, he handed her something long, slim and silver.

She recognised it instantly. Van Helsing had threatened her with one just like this. Her lips fell into a confused pout. "A silver- but, why?"

"I know, it seems strange for me to give you this," Vlad replied. He kissed her forehead once more. "Use it on any vampire who tries to hurt you. It's best through the heart."

"Yes." Crina thought of one vampire she would love to stake. She remembered the way he had licked her cheek, the way he had tried to violate her, the way he had tried to _kill_ her... Viktor. She held the stake in her hand, and her fingers tightened around it. She remembered Viktor's words. "Dracula- Vlad? Viktor... Viktor said you bring women... you bring women to rape..." She swallowed painfully.

His face was unreadable. "I promise you, I do not." He kissed her. "I only bring women to feed upon..."

Disgust washed over her. Vampires... "Yes. Yes, well... I'll see you later, Vlad..."

She was glad to escape into the cool corridor. Once again, the feeling of being in too deep haunted her. She tried to focus on Viktor, trying to remember the things Ioan had told her about hunting vampires. Determination numbed her brain, she was entirely focused on her new vendetta.

"Viktor!" she shouted, making her way towards the place she had first encountered him, that dark corridor.

Nothing, and yet she knew he was there something. She went into the large room with the beautiful window, which was now illuminated by dusty, pale sunlight.

"Viktor!" she screamed it this time, her throat hoarse.

A tall, broad figure dropped gracefully from the ceiling then. She tensed automatically as bright blue eyes regarded her coldly, staring out a handsome, impassive face. Viktor cocked his head slightly, a few strands of blonde hair loose around his face. "It says a lot about the character of a woman if you give her a stake, and she instantly gets the killer instinct," he said, his voice revealing nothing.

She ignored him. Her mind was calm. "Are you ready to die, Viktor?"

"I am already dead, mortal," Viktor laughed. "You, however, are not. You are a greater fool than I already believed."

Crina's dark eyes flashed as Viktor adjusted his midnight-blue shirt, apparently quite at ease. "I assure you, I am no fool, Viktor."

"Ah, are we on first name terms now?" he asked, with the flicker of a cruel smile. "Your name is Crina, isn't it? Well, well, well, my dear Crina-"

"It is Miss Arany to you."

Viktor's smile widened. "As you wish, Miss Arany, but that means it is not Viktor to you, but Lord Regalia, if you please." He walked towards her then, stopping close to her, so close she could see her dark expression reflected in his eyes. "So, Miss Arany, they tell me you have a bit of thing for... Dracula."

Her mouth tightened. "Close your mouth," she hissed.

"But why? I am merely intruiged. Surely, a nice, innocent young lady- such as yourself, I'm sure- does not fall for the Lord of Darkness? He is evil personified, the horror that haunts the hearts of the living."

Crina blinked. Maybe she wasn't so innocent after all. Viktor had a good point. Seeing he had weakened her, Viktor flew at her suddenly, knocking her to the ground, holding her down by her neck. The stake rolled away, lying inches out of Crina's reach. She struggled fruitlessly.

"Go on, scream for _darling_ Vladislaus, you little whore," Viktor murmured, leaning close to her face. "Go on. You know he's only using you, don't you, you bitter little wench?"

She fought to remain calm. "You're _insane_, Viktor!" she cried.

He laughed. She swung her leg up, catching him in the side. As he stumbled, she leapt onto the stake, landing on her front, her fingers closing around the cool silver...

"Get back here!" he roared, and she felt his hand on her shoulder. He rolled her roughly over...

... And she staked him in the heart, driving it in with all the force she could muster. For a moment, they remained like that, Viktor leaning over her, his face frozen in horror.

"You will regret everything," he hissed.

Then he vanished, the stake falling onto Crina's lap. She leaned back, panting.

**To be continued.**


	17. Talking With Gabriel

The air on the ground floor was warmer than anywhere else in the castle, and the cold wind that shook the doors and rattled the windows of the upstairs floors was softer down here. As always, the place seemed deserted, but Crina remained tense as she walked, prepared for Brianna or Natasja or even Vladislaus to appear.

She needed to sit and think. Things were getting out of hand. It was as though she didn't know herself anymore.

Her fingers found the cool doorknob of a door, and she pushed it open to reveal a beautiful lounge. Fine wooden furniture seemed oddly out of place, trapped in the dusty sunlight that drifted in through the open window. There was a portrait on the wall, a picture painted wonderfully of a pale man with long black hair. There was only dust in the fireplace.

Crina shivered as she stepped into the cold room, a sharp wind blowing in through the window. Automatically, she went over to it, preparing to close it, when suddenly a blast of the air caught her in the face. She closed her eyes, inhaling freedom.

"Oh my God." It was too late for Crina, it had to be. She had changed so much, her innocence completely lost. Whether she liked it or not, the castle was the only place for her.

She sunk onto the window-ledge. It felt like she should be crying but she couldn't quite do it. She was becoming less human already. There was nothing she could do. Soon, she would become a vampire, she was sure. Vlad was bite her and she would become like Brianna and Natasja, blindly loyal, empty.

A hand closed over her mouth from behind. She recognised the feel of the glove from the night of the ball, but still she jumped, heart racing, struggling.

"Hush, Crina, hush," Van Helsing's voice came softly into her ear. "Stop struggling and I'll release you."

She fell still, deciding to find out what he wanted this time. As soon as he had released her, she turned to look into his soft, gentle eyes, shaking her head. "Van Helsing-"

"Gabriel, please," he said quietly.

"Gabriel, what are you doing here? Vlad will kill you," she said desperately. "You must leave!"

"Calm yourself." Gabriel spoke clearly, crisply, clearly unruffled by this information. "I have killed Vladislaus Dragulia at least once, my dear woman. It is you who is in more danger."

Crina sighed. "There is no danger to me."

"Only the danger of losing your soul."

Crina shook her head, rising. "It is lost anyway, Gabriel. What is it you want of me?"

"Leave with me, Crina," Gabriel said, his eyes begging her. "Leave before it is to late, Crina! I beg of you, do not lose your soul to Dracula!"

"I am staying."

"Crina, Dracula is _evil_!" Gabriel grabbed her shoulders. "Why can't you see that?"

"I can see that," she replied. Emotion welled up inside of her. "God, I can see that. I see that everyday I am here, every moment I am with him, and yet I cannot leave." A tear slid down her face. "I hate it, but I _love _him."

Gabriel sighed, his face darkening. He shook his head. "Crina, he is a monster," he said bitterly. "I am begging you to leave, if you do not... you will be regarded as evil. When we storm the castle... you will be killed as part of the evil of this place... there will be no mercy..." He lowered his head.

"You think you will be shown mercy in this place?" Crina asked, shrugging. "You would be a fool to try it."

For a moment they just glared at each other, fire burning in all eyes, defiance tense on the air. Then Gabriel took Crina's hand, his face soft once more.

"I only want to save you," he said quietly.

"You cannot." She felt the warmness of his fingers on her own.

"But Crina, you will be eternally damned if you do not leave soon! I can save you from that, I know I can!" he replied. "Oh God, Crina, please-"

"Stop." Crina rose, looking back at him firmly. "I do not need to hear this. I already know. Now, if this is all, I shall bid you good-day, Gabriel." And she headed forwards, away from him.

"Wait!" Gabriel cried, but she did not stop. Then he said coyly, "Your mother mentioned Ioan Valerious."

Crina froze, heart racing. She closed her eyes, her face growing hot. "And what of it, Van Helsing?" she asked, tartly.

Gabriel sighed. For a moment he was silent, and Crina glanced at him, seeing the apologetic look on his face. "I didn't want to mention it... but it seems I have no choice. Your beloved _Vlad _is responsible, Crina."

There was a huge lump in Crina's throat. Dread flooded through her. "Responsible for what?"

He shuffled, apparently uncomfortable. "His death, Crina. Vladislaus Dragulia killed Ioan Valerious."

"No!" Crina gasped. Tears splashed down her face, and she began to cry. Gabriel reached for her, but she ran, away from him. She sprinted through the corridors, sobbing, her heart breaking. How could Vlad betray her like this? How could he be so _evil?_

She collapsed against a wall, buried her face in her hands. Poor, poor Ioan... she had completely betrayed him. She had fallen for his murderer.

"Ioan!" she cried, screaming, horrified.

But there was no way to end the pain.

**To be continued.**

_A/N: Here's a question for you: what are your thoughts on a Gabriel/Crina romance? I don't have one planned for this story but I'd like to know your thoughts on it. Also, I'm sorry I haven't updated for so long... I have GCSE exams in a few weeks and it's taking up most of my time._


	18. The Mirror

Crina walked. The tears had stopped, the hurt was gone. She was numb, her mind a blank.

The castle was large, and there were plenty of rooms to explore. It was deserted. The cold air was her's alone, and she drifted through it silently, a stiff figure of heartache.

Somewhere in the underground levels of the castle, hidden at the end of a long cold corridor, she found the room which would come to shape her destiny.

The room seemed to be cut into the rock itself. She stepped inside, long hair drifting behind her, staring. She was standing on a stone platform, staring down a wide, rough staircase. On the level below the platform, there was nothing, except a tall, cloth-covered object Crina took to be a mirror.

The whole room seemed to vibrate with some invisible energy. Crina's breath caught in her throat.

She slowly descended the steps, dark eyes fixed on the mirror. She walked towards it, driven by something she couldn't explain. Her long hands extended towards the cloth...

"It is the Mirror Of Lost Souls." A familiar, impassive voice behind her made her freeze. "Those who have died in and around this castle can be brought back through the mirror."

She turned around, glaring at Dracula. He was coldly handsome, his eyes unreadable. His hands were crossed before him. He did not seem to know of her meeting with Van Helsing.

"Like Ioan, you mean?" she demanded.

Dracula looked at her, then he raised an eyebrow. "What has happened to you?" His voice held no emotion, it was cold, clear. It reminded Crina he was a vampire, he was evil.

Crina flinched away from him as he reached for her hand. Fresh tears prickled her eyes. "YOU have! You killed Ioan, Gabriel told me so, you lied to me!"

Her words echoed around the room. Dracula's expression did not change.

"I see."

She blinked. "Is that it? No denial, no trying to win me around?"

Dracula, to her surprise, laughed, throwing his head back. His blue eyes looked almost black. It took him a while to stop, then he shook his head. "And waste my breath when you so clearly believe Van Helsing?"

Crina was confused and surprised by the way he was acting. She didn't reply.

"Well, for your information, I didn't kill Ioan Valerious." Dracula turned away, heading for the steps. "Not that you'll believe me."

Crina hesitated a moment. "Wait!"

Dracula froze, but did not turn around. His shiny black hair shimmered in the strange light, and for a moment Crina was mesmerised by the way it shone. The silver clip that held it back was so tiny, so intricate.

"Dracula... are you telling me the truth?" Her voice barely came out; her throat had never seemed so dry.

"I don't need to justify myself to you, Crina." She had never heard him sound like this before, so icy cold, so quietly angry. He still wasn't looking at her, a sign that he was truly disgusted at her. "I honestly don't."

Crina felt fresh tears welling up. "Dra- Vlad. Talk to me." She felt so strange... so weak, so helpless.

"I didn't kill Ioan Valerious," Vlad repeated, more softly now, finally turning his blue eyes to Crina. "I didn't kill him."

"Why would Gabriel lie?"

Then Vlad had hold of her, touching her soft skin, hugging her tenderly. He looked deeply into her face. "Dear Crina, don't you understand? Gabriel and I... we have such history. He has a vendetta against me, my darling. He knows how... precious you are to me. To take you from me would be cruel and he knows that."

"Oh, Vlad." She was leaning right into him, and she believed him. Doubt had left her, there was only her firm belief in his honesty. "I am sorry."

Vlad stroked her hair as he had done on their first meeting. "Crina- I am sorry too. I should have spoken earlier. I know who _did _murder Ioan Valerious."

She looked up, shocked, pale. "Who?"

Vlad blinked, looked away. "I'm not sure it's wise to tell you. Not after what you did to Viktor..." He looked genuinely nervous, paler than usual.

Crina's eyes flashed. "Tell me," she said insistantly.

Vlad swallowed, then blinked again. "Gabriel. It was Gabriel Van Helsing."

"What?" Crina moved away from Vlad, wringing her hands in despair and confusion. She believed Vlad... but why on earth would Van Helsing, a Holy Knight, kill an innocent man? But in Vlad's eyes there was only truth. Crina felt strange, weak, hot. "Van Helsing must die, Vlad." She looked back to the mirror and thought of Ioan.

Vlad held her tightly. "I cannot change your mind, my love."

**To be continued.**

_A/N: Raise your hand if you're a terrible authoress! -raises hand- I should have updated this ages ago. Sorry everyone! If you're still reading, you rock. Sorry this chapter is so short. Remember to review!_


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